There含羞草研究社檚 no such thing as a Christmas break for hockey super fan Steven Guinther-Plank.

As usual, the Surrey man含羞草研究社檚 calendar is filled with plans to watch a number of minor games at local arenas, as December comes to a close and a new year begins.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檝e been invited to two tournaments that weekend (after Christmas) and a showcase, so it含羞草研究社檚 going to be a busy,含羞草研究社� Guinther-Plank explained with a wide smile.

He watches games 含羞草研究社渇ive to seven times含羞草研究社� a week, from peewee to junior league, Kamloops to Gibsons, but 含羞草研究社減robably double that含羞草研究社� during tournaments.

A fixture on the local hockey scene, Guinther-Plank is known for his jet engine-loud voice and sheer enthusiasm for cheering on everyone.

Seriously, ev-er-y-one.

含羞草研究社淕ood job all three officials 含羞草研究社� and scorekeeper and DJ, too!含羞草研究社� he yelled Monday night at Sungod Arena during a game between Bantam rep teams from North Delta and Langley visitors.

含羞草研究社淕ood job whoever got that goal!含羞草研究社� he hollered, moments after a reporter含羞草研究社檚 question distracted him from watching the home team score one, in a thrilling 4-3 win settled later, in the dying seconds.

(Diestro)(Lutz)(Donaldson)(Isaak) 4-3W 鈦︹仼 BantamA1 vs. LGYA2

含羞草研究社� Coach Jim (@JimTheHockeyGuy)

Guinther-Plank含羞草研究社檚 green Jr. Steelers jersey, with 含羞草研究社淏roncos #1 Super Fan含羞草研究社� printed on the back, offers a clue about some of his motivation to watch so many hockey games in recent years.

含羞草研究社淚 watched the Beaver Valley Nitehawks (of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League) in my hometown, Fruitvale 含羞草研究社� near Trail, up there,含羞草研究社� he explained. 含羞草研究社淥ne of the players for that team, he was playing so good that he got called up by the Surrey Eagles, and then he got traded later, to the Humboldt Broncos, and he was one of the 16 (who died in a bus crash last spring).含羞草研究社� Jaxon Joseph, yeah. I got to know him just a little bit, just watching him play, just cheering him on in Beaver Valley. He played so good that he was only there until January (of 2016), when Surrey called him up.

含羞草研究社淭hat helps me motivate everybody out there,含羞草研究社� Guinther-Plank continued, 含羞草研究社渂ecause you never know when something like that can happen to anyone, right. And if you don含羞草研究社檛 cheer for that team before that, you kind of feel bad for it, so I just kind of, like, try to motivate everybody on the ice, including the officials.含羞草研究社�

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, from Sept. 2018.

Guinther-Plank, 28, drives from game to game in his yellow Nissan Frontier, a truck he named 含羞草研究社淏umblebee.含羞草研究社�

When not out watching hockey, he含羞草研究社檚 studying to become an appliance repairman.

An impressively loud voice is something else he含羞草研究社檚 worked on.

含羞草研究社淲hen I was younger I went to this native powwow, and they taught me how to tighten up your diaphragm and not yell out of your talking voice. It含羞草研究社檚 down deeper I guess, so I do that.含羞草研究社�

With hand-written rosters, he keeps track of all the players on the ice, by jersey number.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 just a longtime hockey fan and it含羞草研究社檚 fun seeing how much my yelling actually motivates them,含羞草研究社� Guinther-Plank said. 含羞草研究社淚 think it does. You can totally tell, and sometimes it distracts them a bit 含羞草研究社� like, they look up here but then they go score a goal after that, right.含羞草研究社�

You heard his voice, now hear his story. Meet the Super Fan.

含羞草研究社� Bauer Bantam Elite Invite (@BantamBauer)

Over the years, players and parents have gotten to know Steven, the hockey super fan, and have given him gifts, including that green Jr. Steelers jersey.

含羞草研究社淚 watch rep games but I still cheer on house (teams), too,含羞草研究社� he said, 含羞草研究社渂ecause that was the tournament over in Gibsons, a peewee house tournament I saw.含羞草研究社� One of the parents invited me, a kid who used to play on the Jr. Steelers out of Coquitlam, a spring team, and then they knew I was in the area and invited to the games.含羞草研究社�

So, what含羞草研究社檚 his favourite team?

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檇 say all the younger teams, but the Vancouver Canucks are my favourite NHL team, but I can含羞草研究社檛 choose a younger team because it含羞草研究社檚 too hard to choose, because I just cheer all of them on.含羞草研究社�

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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